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Adult students

Changes to a course or education provider

This page explains how you can change course or approved education provider, or what to do if your course ends early.

If you want to do a different course of study with your approved education provider, you do not have to get permission from us.

If you want to do the same or a different course of study with a new approved education provider, you must get permission from us.

If your course ends early, your permission to stay (also known as leave to remain) may be limited.

You should use the Change of circumstances form to tell us of any changes.

More information

  • Doing a different course of study with your approved education provider

    You do not need to get permission from us if you have enough time left in your permission to stay and want to do a different course of study with your education provider. Your education provider will tell us that you have changed course.

    If your new course is shorter than the course you got your permission to stay for, you must tell us by emailing us. The email address you should send this to is migrantreporting@ukba.gsi.gov.uk.


     

  • Doing the same or different course of study with a new approved education provider - applications made before 5 October 2009.

    You must get written permission from us if you have time left in your permission to stay, and want to do the same or a different course of study with a new approved education provider. You must tell us by sending an email including:

    • the new course and your start and finish dates; and
    • your new approved education provider's name, address and contact details.

    The email you should send this to is migrantreporting@ukba.gsi.gov.uk. 

    We will give you a letter of permission saying you are allowed to use your existing permission to stay to study with the new approved education provider if:

    • the education provider is approved by us and on our tier 4 register of sponsors (which you can find on our the right side of this page); and
    • we can confirm the education provider wants to act as your new education provider; and
    • the course meets the requirements for the adult or child student category.

    If you have told us about changing your education provider, you can start your new course before you get permission from us, but you do so at your own risk as we could refuse your permission. We will send a letter saying we have received your request to change education provider.

    Under the immigration rules, we may limit your permission to stay as a student if you change your education provider without getting our permission.

    If you want to take up a new course of study, either with your existing approved education provider or with a new approved education provider, and the length of the new course goes over your current permission to stay, you will need to apply again making a new application to us.

  • Doing the same or different course of study with a new approved education provider - applications made on or after 5 October 2009.

    If you want to study with a new Tier 4 sponsor and you made your last application for a Tier 4 visa on or after 5 October 2009, you must apply for a new Tier 4 visa.

    If you have entered the United Kingdom using your Tier 4 Visa, and the you want to study with a new Tier 4 sponsor before that visa has expired, you must always make your new application from inside of the United Kingdom. If a you make your new application from outside of the United Kingdom it will be refused.

    You can not start your new course until a new Tier 4 visa has been approved. You can leave your current Tier 4 sponsor before your new Tier 4 visa  application has been decided. However, you do this at your own risk, as if your new Tier 4 visa is refused, you may not be able to go back to your old course.

  • What happens if my course ends early?

    We will limit your permission to stay to 60 days if your course ends earlier than expected. This may be, for example, if your education provider cancels your place on the course, or you finish the course earlier.

    If you have less than six months left of your permission to stay, we will not limit your permission and you can stay until your permission runs out.

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